Student Internships: Sanctuaries

Looking for an Internship in an Animal Sanctuary?

The following are organizations that offer internships to students interested in sanctuaries. If you are part of a sanctuary and would like your internship information added to this page, please contact office@animalsandsociety.org.

The mission of Best Friends Animal Society is to end the killing of animals in shelters across the country. Best Friends Animal Society began with the animal sanctuary located in Kanab, Utah, which is now the largest no-kill companion animal sanctuary in the nation, with around 1,600 current residents. Best Friends has expanded to include adoption centers in several large cities and it partners with other organizations across the nation to implement no-kill initiatives and programs.

Welcome to what could be the most exciting adventure of your life — an Internship working with and learning about dozens of gorgeous exotic cats at Big Cat Rescue, a leading accredited big cat sanctuary in beautiful sunny Florida! How long you stay and how far you want to advance is up to you — stay with us for a minimum of 12 weeks or up to two years! You will not only gain invaluable experience and knowledge about big cats, but you’ll make lifelong friends and have experiences most people only dream of.

Our mission is to provide the best home we can for the cats in our care, end abuse of big cats in captivity, and prevent extinction of wild big cats around the world. We are home to a variety of exotic cat species, most of whom have been abandoned, abused, seized by authorities, saved from being turned into fur coats, relinquished by private owners, or retired from performing acts.

All of our daily cat care including preparing meals for the cats, feeding the cats, and cleaning their enclosures is done by our amazing interns and volunteers (local Tampa area people who love big cats just like you). We are always looking for qualified individuals who want to join us. If you would love to live on property here at our sanctuary and care for our precious exotic cats as one of our Interns, you’ve come to the right place!

Located 22 miles southwest of Shreveport, La., in the Eddie D. Jones Nature Park in Keithville, LA, Chimp Haven serves as The National Chimpanzee Sanctuary. They are an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is:

To provide humane care for chimpanzees that have been used for biomedical research, or other purposes, and which are no longer used for those purposes.

To provide large, enriched and permanent housing for these animals in accordance with all state and federal regulations pertaining to the care and housing of these nonhuman primates.

To provide noninvasive research opportunities on the behavior and biology of chimpanzees and to disseminate this information to others in publicly available formats.

To educate the public about these endangered nonhuman primates and the needs for conservation in the wild and protection in captivity.

Farm Sanctuary is the nation’s largest and most effective farm animal rescue and protection organization. We have rescued thousands of animals and cared for them at our sanctuaries in Watkins Glen, New York; Northern California (Orland); and the Los Angeles area. We educate millions of people about their plight and the effects of factory farming on our health and environment. We advocate for laws and policies to prevent suffering and promote compassion, and we reach out to legislators and businesses to bring about institutional reforms.

Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary invites you to become an animal care intern with us. If you thrive on new experiences and aim to make a difference in the lives of animals, this is the opportunity for you!

ASI 501c3 and EIN

The Animals and Society Institute (ASI) is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to the Animals and Society Institute are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. ASI’s tax identification number is 22-2527462.